Project puts students into the lab

Tuesday

Aug 5, 2014 at 12:01 AM

STOCKTON - Stagg High senior So Her didn't think spending his summer vacation finding out how fertilizer can affect the growth patterns of bok choi plants would be the most interesting use of his time.

Keith Reid

STOCKTON - Stagg High senior So Her didn't think spending his summer vacation finding out how fertilizer can affect the growth patterns of bok choi plants would be the most interesting use of his time.

But nine weeks after being one of seven Stagg students to participate in Project SEED (Summer Experience for the Economically Disadvantaged) - a science research program for local high school students at University of the Pacific - the 16-year-old said he now cherishes his time in a lab coat.

"It started out that I didn't know it would be interesting," Her said. "But, once I got into treating some plants with fertilizer and a control group with no fertilizer, the process was really interesting."

Project SEED is a little-known program that has been sponsored by the American Chemical Society, Chevron, and other local organizations at UOP for 20 years, Professor Silvio Rodriguez said.

Local high school students with an aptitude for chemistry, and who qualify as socioeconomically disadvantaged, are placed into a lab environment with college students and mentor professors for nine weeks to do real research.

Along with building their resumes, the high schoolers also get paid.

Retired Chevron chemist and Project SEED organizer Elaine Yamaguchi said the students are paid $2,500 in their first year and $3,000 in their second year of research work.

"I pay them only $100 a week. Then, they get a bonus check once they complete the program and present a report," she said.

So, for Her and his first-year classmates, a 15-minute presentation in front of their peers, professors, teachers and even Stagg Principal Andre Phillips was worth a $1,600 bonus check.

There were a few nerves.

Stagg High senior Yannett Avila hurried through an informative presentation on her research project on pesticides. Her research consisted mostly of categorization and indexing pesticides in a computerized database.

"I really thought this nine weeks was a good experience," she said. "What I think I might have found out, most important, is that I don't think I want to be a lab researcher."

Avila enjoys science but she will likely pursue social work, she said.

Another Stagg High senior Sereena Nand, 16, contributed to an experiment to test how fructose and glucose consumption can affect functions of the heart.

Nand and the team of college researchers she worked with fed lab rats high glucose and high fructose diets. Later, they dissected the rodents and performed tests on veins and heart valves.

"It's too early to tell" what the results are, Nand said.

Nand, who wants to major in biology said Project SEED was an eye-opening experience for her. She believes it will help her greatly after high school.

That appears to be the biggest bonus for Rodriguez and Stagg teachers.

"This is an experience for those who are less likely to go to college," Rodriguez said. "This is the type of job, for them, that really beats flipping burgers and points them in the direction toward college."

Contact reporter Keith Reid at (209) 546-8257 or kreid@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/edublog and on Twitter @KReidme.